Past Prologue
' |image= |series= |production=40511-404 |producer(s)= |story= |script=Katharyn Powers |director=Winrich Kolbe |imdbref=tt0708576 |guests=Jeffrey Nordling as Tahna Los, Andrew Robinson as Garak, Gwynyth Walsh as B'Etor, Barbara March as Lursa, Susan Bay as Adm. Rollman, Vaughn Armstrong as Gul Danar, Richard Ryder as Deputy and Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn |previous_production=A Man Alone |next_production=Babel |episode=DS9 S01E02 |airdate=10 January 1993 |previous_release=Emissary |next_release=A Man Alone |story_date(s)=Unknown (2369) |group="N"}} |previous_story=Emissary |next_story=A Man Alone }} Summary The crew of Deep Space Nine rescue the Bajoran Tahna Los from a vessel that is being attacked by the Cardassians. They state that Tahna is a known member of a terrorist organization and demand his return, but Tahna asks for political asylum, pleading to his former friend Major Kira Nerys for help. Commander Benjamin Sisko grants his request. Later, Odo spots Tahna with the Duras sisters making covert discussions. Tahna also seeks to gain the use of a runabout from Kira. Dr. Julian Bashir, thanks to his new-found friend Elim Garak, overhears the Duras sisters planning to rendezvous with the Bajoran to give him materials that could be used to build a bomb. The crew allow him to take a runabout and to arrest him after the transaction. Kira finds herself confused about her own past with the Bajoran resistance and where her current loyalties stand, and offers to go with Tahna in the runabout. Commander Sisko and Chief Miles O'Brien wait in a second runabout nearby while Tahna and Kira complete the transaction. When the second runabout appears, Tahna realizes he has been set up; matters are further complicated by the arrival of the Cardassian warship. Tahna orders Kira at gunpoint to return to the station, intending to collapse the wormhole with an explosive device, because then Bajor will have no motivation to invite Federation presence on Bajoran territory, which he sees as a new occupation. Kira lurches the runabout to one side, causing Tahna to fall over and allowing her to pilot the ship through the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant; where he ejects the bomb causing it to explode harmlessly in space. However, Tahna has regained control of his weapon and orders Kira to return to the Alpha Quadrant. There, Sisko gives Tahna an ultimatum, either to give himself over to the station's authorities, or to wait to be destroyed by the Cardassians. Tahna hands over his weapon to Kira, and turns himself in; Kira explains that he may come to understand why this was the right thing to do someday. Errors and Explanations Plot Oversights # Odo managing to compact his mass into a small rodent without becoming hot and heavy. This could be a natural ability of Odo's species. # Odo being better at making a rodent nose than a human one. A human nose may be too complex. Internet Movie Database Plot holes # Commander Sisko refers to the Cardassian ship's commander as Gul Danar. However, the Gul never introduces himself by name any time during the episode. Danar's name could be included in the ship's current ID records. Nit Central # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Wednesday, August 30, 2000 - 11:36 pm: In A Matter of Perspective, O'Brien had trouble beaming Riker off an exploding space station. In Emissary, O'Brien had trouble operating the Cardassian transporters on DS9. However, in this episode, O'Brien has no trouble beaming a guy off an exploding spaceship. Hmmm... Uncle Dick on Tuesday, July 31, 2001 - 2:07 am: Well, people are always being beamed off of exploding starships in Star Trek (ie Heart of Glory, Best of Both Worlds, Part II) with no problems. I assume that O'Brien read up on the tech specs of Cardassian transporters between episodes and now is able to adequately run them. Perhaps the strange beam the guy in Matter of Perspective shot at Riker interferred with transport somehow. # Why would a Bajoran need to request political asylum in Bajoran space? He obviously believes Bajor has become Federation territory! # If the Klingons, allies of the Federation, have declared someone to be a renegade, wouldn't the Federation have a responsibility to notify the Klingons of their whereabouts? inblackestnight on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 11:09 am: I would think so. Sisko tells Odo that "they haven't broken any laws here, you can't just throw them in jail." Well Benny, they are wanted by the Klingons, so the Constable has every right to do so. Brian FitzGerald on Monday, October 01, 2007 - 10:51 pm: Perhaps it's that they are on a Bajoran station. While the Feds probably have an extradition treaty with the Klingons the Bajorans may not. The Provisional government is still pretty new at this point. # John A. Lang on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 7:58 am: Let me get this straight, the Federation hires Kira, a reknowned terrorist from Bajor, who has no love for the Federation's presence in Bajoran territory aboard DS9....which is now Federation property & is designated to oversee the activities around the wormhole for its commercial value.(?) RIGHT! Isn't that like putting someone from Al-Quida in charge of the Department of Immigration? Josh Gould (Jgould) on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 9:06 am: The Federation didn't hire Kira (especially cause they don't use money ;-)) - she's the Bajoran liason officer on a station which is Bajoran property, albeit under Federation administration. She was assigned by the Bajoran Militia, which, I'm guessing, is largely comprised of ex-Resistance fighters. John A. Lang on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 10:20 am: But...wouldn't a Bajoran ambassador be more appropiate for a laison position than a terrorist? (Forgive me, I'm a little confused) ''Josh M on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 1:36 pm:''One, the Federation doesn't own the station. The Bajorans do and they can put whoever they want up there. To them, she's not a terrorist, she's a freedom fighter who fought off an oppressed people. The Federation may not view her as a terrorist either. The Cardassians undoubtedly do. When the U.S. became a nation, it let one of its terrorist leaders become the first president. It's not much different. Notes Category:Episodes Category:Deep Space Nine